Paris, June 6 (IANS) The 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva etched her name in the record books by winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open, defeating qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the women’s singles final at Stade Roland-Garros in Paris on Saturday.

With this victory, the Russian eighth seed became the youngest women’s singles champion in Paris since Monica Seles lifted her third consecutive title in 1992. The triumph marked another significant milestone in Andreeva’s rapid rise on the international stage.

The teenager’s journey at Roland-Garros has been remarkable. She first appeared in the main draw in 2023 after coming through the qualifying rounds and announced herself with an impressive run to the semifinals. Two years later, she returned to the iconic clay-court tournament and went all the way to claim the coveted title.

After sealing victory in one hour and 22 minutes, an emotional Andreeva dropped to the court in celebration before sharing a heartfelt embrace with coach Conchita Martinez, the former world No. 2 and 1994 Wimbledon champion who has played a key role in her development.

“I’ve been watching Roland Garros on TV since I was very, very young. It has always been a dream of mine to win this tournament, and I honestly cannot believe that I’m holding this trophy right now,” Andreeva said during the trophy presentation.

The final began nervously, with windy conditions affecting both players. The opening four games featured consecutive service breaks as neither player was able to settle quickly. Chwalinska, ranked No. 114 in the world, briefly delighted the crowd by becoming the first player to hold serve.

However, Andreeva soon found her rhythm and showcased the composure that has become a hallmark of her game. She won nine consecutive games to take complete control of the match, moving from a closely contested opening set to a commanding 6-3, 5-0 lead.

Although she missed an opportunity to serve out the match on her first attempt, Andreeva remained calm and closed out the victory on Chwalinska’s serve, securing the biggest title of her young career and etching her name into French Open history.

–IANS

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